Santa will be delivering a late Christmas gift to Schroon in the weeks ahead: a brand, spanking new skating rink.

The roof on the new rink’s pavilion was completed on Christmas Eve and today Town Supervisor Mike Marnell will take delivery of a bladder, which will hold thousands of gallons of water which will form the rink’s ice surface. It measures 50 feet by 100 feet and is six inches deep.

Marnell says he hopes the rink will be ready to use in the weeks ahead. If all goes to plan the rink will be open 24/7.

Mr. Marnell says the rink’s budget is about $140,000. “We had $80,000 left over from the tennis and basketball court renovation,” Me. Marnell told Schroon Laker. The $60,000 difference will be covered by the town. “We have the budget for this.”

Next year Mr. Marnell says the town will build a large, Adirondack style lean-too with an infrared heating system to keep skaters warm. He says the structure will be used year-round and serve multiple purposes.

 “We may have basketball hoops and picnic tables installed”.

And there’s the potential for the town to rent the space out for weddings.

“It’s an amazing view from up there.”

The space where the pavilion stands is on the grounds where the Leland House Hotel once stood. “We found old concrete slabs from the hotel when we were pouring the footings.”

What other uses do you see for this new space. Tell us in comments?